We only have ourselves to blame

Life on Earth’s greatest challenge – extinction

Our impact can no longer be ignored or disputed. We are erasing the existence of many species that have equal right to call Planet Earth home. Now is the time to put the agenda of human-induced extinction at the forefront of all Worldly issues.

Forces of mass extinction

Through the past 500 million years, life has faced five mass extinctions. The extinctions were caused by cataclysmic forces – asteroid impacts, super volcanoes, severe atmospheric changes and major weather shifts. No single living species has ever possessed the force to cause any mass extinction.

Extinction Six is unique, as it is the only mass extinction caused by a single living species – humans. We have become the proverbial cataclysmic force of mass extinction.

A dangerous game

Biodiversities consisting of indigenous species within a natural environment provide the systems that produce food, recycle air and water, whilst managing environmental and weather patterns. Through destroying individual and entire species, we are playing a dangerous game with the integral parts of the systems that literally nurture and allow our existence.

A few facts you should know

Background Extinction is a natural phenomenon, with species disappearing at a rate of one to five per year.

Due to human impact, current estimates predict that species are disappearing at 100 to 1 000 times the normal background rate.

It is estimated that between 35 – 100* species go extinct everyday.

It is predicted that 30 – 50% of all species will face extinction by 2050.

Over 1000 species within the last 500 years are confirmed extinct due to human impact.

*Many extinct, endangered and threatened species are unknown to science and therefore present many challenges in estimating actual extinction numbers accurately.

The causes:

There are many issues that are contributing toward species extinctions these are but a few ...

The solutions:

For all life to flourish and live in harmony, we have to change our actions, lifestyles, and thinking ...

Deforestation

Plants provide the backbone for a large portion of life to thrive and survive. Each plant and tree plays a vital role in maintaining integrity within each biodiversity.

The ripple effects of just a few cut-down trees and plants can cripple entire biodiversities.

Agriculture

Through manipulating natural biodiversity, to support a few human-selected crops and animals, industrial and modern agriculture are a major cause of indigenous habitat loss and species extinctions.

Permaculture provides a workable example of agriculture that works in unison with natural ecosystems.

Urbanised development

The urbanisation of humans disables humans from developing a relationship with any natural ecosystems. There is no reciprocated feedback into the environment from which humans take, ultimately substituting the natural fauna and flora for concrete, steel and tar.

Consumption

Human consumption for food, land and material products continues to cause major devastation on remaining species and ecosystems. The consumer culture is inherently unsustainable and will provide no solutions for the destruction it causes.

Pollution

There is no such thing as waste within nature. Everything produced or expelled by one species, serves as nourishment for another. Humans are the only species to create waste - foreign matter not used by another biological species.

Fishing

With a 90% drop of major fish stocks within the last 50 years*, aquaculture, recreational and intensive commercial fishing practices have destructive impacts on the little remaining oceanic and fresh water species.

Many critically endangered and recently extinct species, all have a common destructive cause - hunting. Hunting for ’sport’, ’medicines’, bush meat or the wildlife trade, have decimated species numbers and continues to do so.

Whilst population growth is a factor of concern, the primary task is to address the patterns of human consumption. Eliminate waste from the equation and move away from a dependence on corporations and businesses.

Consumption provides an opportunity to re-establish a relationship between humans and nature, based on reciprocated exchange, rather than the current pattern of taking and manipulating for human and economical benefit.

Rethink growth and development

Current growth and development is solely based on fulfilling the needs and desires of humans. Our relationship with existing species needs to be readdressed and our assumption of human significance has to be curbed to promote a nature-based focus, rather than the current human-based focus.

Future growth and development will require a conscious application to incorporate the existence and well being of all other species.

Preserves and reserves

Marine and terrestrial reserves need to be expanded, including the implementation of more Bio-Reserves. Limits to population growth and urbanised expansion will have to be enforced.

Reforestation

Radical reforestation needs to be implemented, aiding in the growth of existing tree and plant species. Just planting trees is not a solution; indigenous tree and plant species need to be grown in order to support the growth of indigenous biodiversity.

The ugly truth – a reality check

Human-induced extinction is the only irreversible impact we continue to have and the longer we delay in implementing solutions, the more irreversible destruction we will cause on the remaining species clinging onto existence.

The solutions are multifaceted and require input, thought and action from every individual. Human-induced extinction will not be solved through the work and ideas of a few organisations, scientists and passionate individuals.

Extinction Six is the Earth’s giant red flag, providing the necessary warning that we need to radically address who we are, what we stand for and what will we ultimately do as individuals and as a global society.

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These are desperate times and we must act now. By simply doing nothing we are participants in the Eco-Genocide.